Charities Act 1960

17 Supplementary provisions as to property vested in official custodian

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, where property is vested in the official custodian for charities in trust for a charity, he shall not exercise any powers of management, but he shall as trustee of any property have all the same powers, duties and liabilities, and be entitled to the same rights and immunities, and be subject to the control and orders of the court, as a corporation appointed custodian trustee under section four of the Public Trustee Act, 1906, except that he shall have no power to charge fees.

(2) Where any land or interest in land is vested in the official custodian for charities in trust for a charity, the charity trustees shall have power in his name and on his behalf to execute and do all assurances and things which they could properly require him to execute or do—

(a) for carrying out any transaction affecting the land or interest which is authorised by order of the court or of the Commissioners; or

(b) for granting any lease for a term ending not more than twenty-two years after it is granted, not being a lease granted wholly or partly in consideration of a fine, or for accepting the surrender of a lease.

(3) Where any land or interest in land is vested in the official custodian for charities in trust for a charity, the charity trustees shall have the like power to make obligations entered into by them binding on the land or interest as if it were vested in them; and any covenant, agreement or condition which is enforceable by or against the custodian by reason of the land or interest being vested in him shall be enforceable by or against the charity trustees as if the land or interest were vested in them.

(4) In relation to a corporate charity, subsections (2) and (3) above shall apply with the substitution of references to the charity for references to the charity trustees.

(5) Subsections (2) and (3) above shall not authorise any charity trustees or charity to impose any personal liability on the official custodian for charities.

(6) Where the official custodian for charities is entitled as trustee for a charity to the custody of securities or documents of title relating to the trust property, he may permit them to be in the possession or under the control of the charity trustees, without thereby incurring any liability.